Aeroplane-kite



L. R. EDDY.

AEROPLANE KITE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 71 1921.

Patntedl Dem. 2m 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

L. R. EDDY.

AEIROPLANE KITE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR: 7, 1921.

Patented Dec. 20, 19211..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

,Zhwrezzce attoxueg EA'WRENGE It. EDDY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

AEROPLANE-KITE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 7, 1921. Serial No. 450,207.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE R. EDDY, a citizen of the United States, residin at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane- Kites, of which the following is a specifica-' tion.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplane kites, and has fon'its particular object to provide a toy of this character whose parts are so arran ed and secured together in a manner to enab le them to be easily separated and folded for transporting from place to place and easily reassembled for ying.

One of the important features of the invention resides in providing a tail-plane and rudder which are separately adjustable with respect to each other and to the back-bone of the kite, and in the manner of mounting these alternately upon the back-bone.

These and other objects hereinafter set forth are attained by the means illustrated in the accomapnying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the kite showing the simplest form of the device.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the tail end of the device shown in Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the slid, able clamp for the flying line. i

Fig. '4 is a perspective view showing a modified head in the shape ofa' biplane.

Fig. 5 is also a' perspective viewof'another modification;

Fig. 6 is a detail view .of the tail end of Fi 5 construction.

ig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the Fig. 5 construction, partiall shown in section.

Fig. 9 is a detail view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Similar reference numerals in all of the fi ures of the drawings designate like parts.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, which is the simplest form of the invention, the kite comprises a single longitudinal rib 15, and a single head-plane which is formedwith a pair of spaced transtaken on the verse ribs 17 suitably secured at their centers to the underside of the rib 15 and connectedtogether by a sheet of light material 16, either fabric or paper to form the plane surface. The under-surface of the head plane is preferably convexed and the shape is attained by the tension members 18 that are connected to the free ends of the transverse ribs 17 and extending over the top of the longitudinal rib and secured thereto by suitable fastening means 19. These tension members 18 are drawn sufiiciently tight to bend the ends of the light flexible transverse ribs 17 upwardly thereby forming the convex underside.

At the tail-end of the main stick or rib 15 is provided a vertically disposed -fin 20 which comprises a U-shaped frame 21, preferably formed of resilient wire and a covering of suitable light-weight material, such as fabric or paper. This tail fin is secured in position beneath the longitudinal rib 15 by passing the free ends of the frame 21 upwardly through apertures in the rib 15, and both of said apertures are formed on an incline through the rib 15, so that the ends of the frame 21 will incline slightly toward each other when secured therein, and said ends being resilient with a tendency of expanding away from each other, will automatically secure the fin in position without additional fastening means. The free ends of the frame are made sufficiently long to extend a considerable distance above the rib 15, so that the fin can be adjusted toward or from the rib 15 as desired to secure the best results in flying. Or the front or rear end of the fin can be adjusted up or down Without displacing the opposite end thereof.

At the tail-end of the kite is also mounted a horizontal tail-plane 22 constructed of Patented Dec. 25, rear.

cross ribs 23 and a suitable light-weight covering extending between the same. This tail-plane is preferably pivoted at its front edges to the upper side of the rib 15 by the staple-hinge 2 1, and its rear edge is adjustably mounted upon the end 25 of the frame 21, and in a manner to be frictionally held in its adjusted positions. This tail-plane 22 is shaped with a relatively long rear edge and a shorter front edge to form side edges inclining toward each other in the direction of the head of the kite. It will thus be seen that the horizontal tail-plane can be adjusted to different positions to secure the best re-. sults in flying in various winds. Suitable stay-wires 26 extend across the edges of the horizontal tail-plane 22 and from the front edge thereof to a point 27 on the rib 15 between the main and tail-planes, and the same or other stay-wires 28 extend from the point 27 to the outer edges of the main-plane, across the same, and then to the front end of the rib 15. Thus the whole structure is held under a tight tension to enable it to fly in stron winds without. danger of collapsing. T e bridle-loop 29 is preferably secured at its ends adjacent the ends of the rib 15, and the flying string 30 is slidably connected to the bridle-loop bymeans of a spring clamp 31, which will retain the flying string in any adjusted position.

The form of kite thus far described is a single-stick monoplane type so-sim'ple in construction that its parts can be assembled 0r disassembled in) a short time without trouble for transportation from place to place. 1

' In Fig. 4 is shown a biplane type of head for a single-stick kite. The lower-plane 32 of this form is similar to the single plane in the Fig. 1 construction, and the upperplane 33 is supported above the lower-plane by the uprights 34 suitably connected to the transverse ribs 35. Between the correspond ing front and rear uprights 34 are extended the vertical walls 36, thereby forming tunnels between the horizontal planes.

In Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive is shown a kite of the biplane type, which is preferably provided with a double longitudinal rib formed with the two sticks 37. The lower headplane 38 is similar to the planes 32 and 16 in the forms heretofore described and is secured to the underside of' the double rib. The upper head-plane 39 is supported at its center line by the front and rear uprights 40 and 41, respectively, the former of which are preferably secured to the outer sides of the ribs 27 and are spread apart at their upper ends, and the uprights 41 are secured between the ribs 37 by the bolt 42. A cov ering 43 extends between said front-and rear uprights forming a central wall between the main planes, and diagonally extending balancing planes 44 extend from the edges of one of the planes to the center line of the opposite plane. tion, the balancing planes 44 and the cov-' eringpof'the top plane 39 are formed with a single web of suitable material, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, but ifthe'se balancing planes are'constructed to bereniovable, then they would be separate from the top-plane 39. The front and rear edges of thetop planeare formed with tubular pockets 45 adaptedto receive the cross-sticks To simplify the construc-' provided with a vertical fin and a horizontal tail-plane at its rear end which operate su b stantially the same as these elements described in the Fig. 1 type, but the construction or mounting is slightly different. The

frame of the tail-fin in this form is preferably formed by bowed wood rods and its ends are secured between the sticks 37, the front end being pivoted on a bolt 50', and the rear end is provided with a series of apertures 51 which are adapted to be engaged by a bolt 52 for adjustment purposes. The horizontal tail-plane 53 is pivoted at its front edge by a staple connection 54,'and its rear edge is mounted adjustably on the fin frame as described in the Fig 1 form, excepting the tail-plane in this ig. 5 form is mounted beneath the sticks or ribs 37. Sticks or ribs 37 are connected directly together at their front ends and are then bowed outwardly over the double uprights 41, and are spaced apart at their rear ends to receive the ends of the fin-frame. Suitable stay-wires are secured to retain the parts rigid.

In the use of the device, the same is,'of course, maintained in flight by the impingement of the wind against the planes. By adjusting the tail-planes to different inclinations, the kite can be made to sail upward at different angles The tail-fin insures a steady flight and. holds the kite against side- 'wise movement especially when flying the kite in a puffy wind. The balancing planes 44 also insure a steady flight, and if re moved, and retaining the'walls 43 in position, the kite will loop-the-loop, nose-dive, and side-slide.

' It will be observed that some form of horizontal tail-plane and fin is used with all g tudinal rib, a horizontal plane-body-portion secured at one end thereof, a tail-plane and a tail-fin mounted at the other endof said rib, said tail-fin embodying a bowed frame having its free ends engaged with the rib, and said tail-plane having its rear edges adjustably mounted upon one of said free ends 1 of the tail-fin.

2. An aeroplane kite, comprising a longitudinal rib formed with a pair of sticks spaced apart substantially their whole 1. An aeroplane kite, comprising a longilength, a vertical tail-fin having a bowed 30 frame mounted between said sticks at their rear ends, e horizontal tail-plane having its rear edge adjustably mounted on the bowed frame of the tail-fin, upper and lower headplanes mounted at the front end of the longitudinal rib, said upper head-plane being supported above the'lower headpla'ne .by

LAWRENCE R. EDDY. 

